Federal program might help Alamogordo airport

The city is set to approve seeking a grant from the federal government that will help make improvements to the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport. (John Bear/Daily News)

Spurred on by the Airport Advisory Board, the city commission might, next week, approve an application for the city to receive federal funds to help the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport get better air service.

According to a city commission agenda report, the commission might approve the application to the Small Community Air Service Development program.

The city, should it be approved, would get $450,000, which it would match with another $450,000 for a total of $900,000.

The program is administered through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Alamogordo's airport lost essential air service, also administered by the DOT, last year and the airport's only passenger airline, New Mexico Airlines, pulled up stakes and moved out.

According to city records, officials are in "active discussions" with an airline to bring passenger service back to the city.

The airline is requesting a financial guarantee to offset "potential airfare operational loss," but any funds left over from the federal grant would be used to promote the airport, records show.

The agenda item is part of the commission's consent agenda, which means -- unless it is pulled from the agenda -- it will most likely pass with several other unrelated items in a single vote.

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